Irish traditional music happenings around St. Patrick’s Day

In Parsippany, New Jersey, the Sheraton Hotel has joined with Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann for a St. Patrick’s party on Friday, March 15 starting around 8 p.m. in the Tipperary Pub. This is both a social night and fundraiser for the CCE children’s fleadh education fund in the mid-Atlantic region, bolstering the efforts of the provincial fleadh which will take place over May 10-12 also in Parsippany (www.nyfleadh.com).

I wasn't aware of this brief tour by the popular accordion player Sharon Shannon from Ruan, Co. Clare last week for my seasonal roundup, so want to share some details since her appearances over here are all too rare these days.

She is starting off this Friday, March 8 at the Somerville Theater in Boston at 8 p.m. (617-876-4275) and then down to the Philly area at the Sellersville Theatre on March 13 at 8 p.m. She hits New York on Friday, March 15 in the Albany region at a concert in Voorheesvile for the Old Songs Folk Club at 8 p.m. (518-765-2815).

On St. Patrick’s Eve she will be at the City Winery on Varick Street in the Big Apple (212-608-0555) before finishing up on the day itself out at the Chicago City Winery. For more info surf to sharonshannon.com. . . .

People have been trying to pigeonhole the paradoxical singer Maura O’Connell from Ennis, Co. Clare originally, and resident in Nashville for decades.

Rumors abound that she is about to go on hiatus from singing and performing (she herself has been hinting at it on Facebook) so maybe the last chance to see her for a while around these parts is this Monday, March 11 at 8 p.m. at B.B. King’s Blues club in Times Square.

Finally, it is no secret that the grand marshal of the second annual McLean Avenue St. Patrick’s parade is none other than Joanie Madden on Saturday, March 23 starting at 1 p.m. (Check out McLean Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Facebook for more details).

To help kickstart the weekend Joanie and Cherish the Ladies are giving a concert at St. Barnabas High School (409 East 241st, Bronx) in Woodlawn on Friday, March 22 at 8 p.m. which will be a benefit for the Aisling Center (www.aislingcentre.org).

Joanie has reached out to popular entertainers like Cathie Ryan, Dermot Henry and Tommy Flynn along with the Flynn School of Irish Dance to perform on the night. For other Cherish seasonal gigs check out cherishtheladies.com.